Shattered Blue
by DauntlessFlame
Summary: Only once in a blue moon does something that involves the fate of all the Clans happen. When the Moonstone mysteriously vanishes and only four shards are left behind, everything falls to chaos. Follow the Chosen four as they embark on a perilous journey to gain their only connection to StarClan back.


PROLOGUE

"Let's go!" Whitedust hissed to her apprentice. They were running late on schedule, as always. Whitedust had hoped for a more coordinated apprentice, but the three-legged Oddpaw would have to do. Unluckily, Whitedust was very impatient with Oddpaw's slowness. Her apprentice took his time when he walked, leaving her to practically push him out of camp.

Oddpaw sighed, abandoning his job of going through old herbs. Whitedust usually kept him busy with simple tasks that were in camp. It was rare she'd let him venture out in the forest because he was prone to stumbling. However, she couldn't keep him contained forever. Every half-moon she had to drag him along to the Moonstone.

Whitedust didn't care to wait for him as she trotted over to the gorse tunnel. She paused only slightly for him to catch up on the other side, knowing that he didn't quite know the way there by himself yet. Once Oddpaw's brown pelt came through, Whitedust darted into the forest, keeping her tail high for him to see.

The trees of ThunderClan territory were swaying with the wind. Leaves tricked down every now and then, their brown and red colors hinting at leaf-fall. Whitedust wasn't anxious for leaf-bare. Bringing Oddpaw through snow didn't sound pleasant. They'd have to leave by sunhigh if they'd ever want to make it on time.

Whitedust knew that Oddpaw barely kept up. She heard his three-stepped trampling, crunching the dead leaves. He was missing his right front leg. Whitedust didn't know what had caused it. His mother was a very healthy she-cat, as was Oddpaw's father. Nightsong had been very sad when she learned he couldn't be a warrior. Well, he _could_ have, but the family wouldn't take any chances. So Oddpaw became Whitedust's apprentice. Whether it was willingly, she didn't know. But he had a fairly good memory of herbs. He managed healing some wounds just fine on his own. But other times he required assistance that only Whitedust could give.

"Do you think Amberpaw will be there this time?" Oddpaw called from behind, startling her. He had nearly caught up her, as Whitedust's pace had slowed during her deep thoughts.

"I don't know," Whitedust meowed. Amberpaw was the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice, also having a disability like Oddpaw. She was blind. How Mottlefrost managed teaching her, Whitedust didn't know. She couldn't imagine trying to train someone who couldn't learn by color or sight. Amberpaw had only recently been appointed and hadn't come since her ceremony. It was now two moons since she'd been to the Moonstone.

As they passed the Owl Tree, Whitedust almost hissed at the slow progress they were making. "We must hurry," Whitedust reminded Oddpaw. By now, they wouldn't be able to meet up with the other medicine cats at the Fourtrees. They usually met up there and journeyed together to the Highstones.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Oddpaw growled.

Whitedust glanced back to see him _running_ behind her. After watching him fall, she waited up for him, until she trotted at his side. She was on his unbalanced side. If they were ever going to make it, Oddpaw's stumbling wasn't going to help. He needed her support whether either of them liked it or not.

They made better progress through the ThunderClan forest, the Fourtrees in sight. Oddpaw stumbled less, with Whitedust at his side supporting his shoulder. But it was still enough to make her cringe with fear of being late. Despite being behind schedule, she was _never_ late to the Moonstone. She was determined not to make this time be her first.

Whitedust and Oddpaw crossed into WindClan territory, ever becoming faster as they went. With less shrubby undergrowth, Oddpaw ran better in the whispering grasses of the moorland. Because he ran better, she abandoned his side and plunged ahead of him. A WindClan patrol loomed at the border, their tails raised in alarm as they saw Whitedust and Oddpaw. She didn't stop to speak; Whitedust ran right past them. She knew they could outrun her with ease, but it was a half-moon. They should know that because Snowfeather must've left for the Highstones already.

The WindClan patrol didn't pursue, to Whitedust's relief. She glanced back to make sure Oddpaw was still following. He had tripped over his own paw and gave her a pleading look. Scowling, she turned and went down to help him climb the hill.

"Didn't you practice walking as a kit?" she hissed, praying to StarClan that this wouldn't make her late. "I mean six moons of prancing around and play-fighting should've helped your balance!"

Oddpaw shook his head, clambering to his three-paw stance. "Nightsong didn't let me play with the others. She told me to sit in with the elders and hear their stories." He made a sour face. "I swear I heard Tanglefur's story about how he once at a fish one too many times. Sootnose wasn't much better, either."

Whitedust sighed. "Let's go!" she called. "We don't want to be late!"

"It's every half-moon that we meet at the Moonstone, right?"

She bit back a _mrrow_ of amusement. Sometimes, Oddpaw was just too unknowing.

~.~

Mottlefrost, Amberpaw, and Ripplefall waited at the Mothermouth, their eyes lit up as they saw Whitedust and Oddpaw coming. Whitedust quickly saw that Snowfeather was absent. Worry rose in her chest. _What has happened to her?_

"It's about time!" Amberpaw purred, her blind blue eyes seemingly staring at Oddpaw. She sniffed. "We thought maybe you'd gotten lost!"

Though her intentions were lighthearted, Whitedust still felt on edge. _These are my friends! I shouldn't have to be so guarded!_ She flicked her tail-tip, feeling uneasy.

Oddpaw still hadn't spoken since he'd made the embarrassing comment about the fact it was a half-moon. He had spoken so innocently, Whitedust had found it hard not to let out a _mrrow_ of amusement.

"Did you see Snowfeather at all?" Ripplefall asked, narrowing his eyes.

Whitedust shook her head. "We came across a WindClan patrol, but we didn't speak with them. I just hope she's alright. After all, she has refused to take on an apprentice yet."

Mottlefrost sighed. "I suppose she hasn't found the right replacement." The mottle gray she-cat took an affectionate step toward her apprentice. "Just because she's aged, doesn't mean she's ready to be overtaken so quickly." She paused. "Or maybe there is a lack of newborns."

"I suppose we should get going," Whitedust meowed, trying to ease the subject. "Maybe we'll find out what happened to Snowfeather?"

Ripplefall nodded, though his green eyes looked doubtful. He turned, his gray tabby pelt vanishing into the darkness of the Mothermouth. Mottlefrost and Amberpaw followed.

"I hope nothing's wrong in WindClan," Oddpaw whispered, moving to go before Whitedust. "Imagine if they didn't have a medicine cat! Then what would happen?"

"Let's hope for the best," Whitedust meowed solemnly. "May StarClan be their guide."

The two of them entered the shadows of the Mothermouth. Whitedust's whiskers touched the slick walls of the tunnel, complete blackness surrounding them. She almost tripped over Oddpaw a couple times, due to his lack of balance.

Mottlefrost's gasp echoed in the tunnel. Whitedust flattened her ears, wondering what had happened. She pressed closed behind Oddpaw, urging him forward.

When Whitedust entered the clearing, the first thing she noticed was the four shards of blue. It wasn't just any blue, it was a _glowing_ blue. The next thing Whitedust saw was the lack of the Moonstone.

_It was gone!_


End file.
